- Venezuela has a total of four gold medals, making it the sixth most prominent country in South America in this international competition.
Venezuela’s performance throughout the history of the Olympic Games has made it one of the most outstanding countries in South America in this event. The country ranks sixth in Latin America in the Olympic medal table, with four gold medals.
Since its debut in 1948, Venezuela has sent 583 athletes to participate in 27 disciplines. In addition, from the Athens 2004 Olympics to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the country has managed to reach the podium in five consecutive editions.
For the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Venezuelan Olympic Committee (COV) has announced that 29 athletes will represent the country to add new medals to the medal table.
In The newspaper We review the achievements of the Venezuelan delegations at the Olympic Games:
1. The first Venezuelan to attend the Olympics was not an athlete
Although Venezuela made its first Olympic debut in 1948, the first Venezuelan to attend this competition was the artist Alberto Egea at the Olympic Games held in Los Angeles (California, United States) in 1932.
In that edition of the Olympic Games, Egea took part in the art competition where participants had to create a work inspired by sports. These artistic competitions were part of the Olympic Games from 1912 to 1948.
Egea was a renowned painter in the country in the technique of watercolors and became known for his landscape paintings.
2. Venezuela made its debut at the 1948 London Olympics
Venezuela’s debut at the Olympic Games took place in the 1948 edition of the tournament held in London.
In these Olympic Games the country only had one representative, the cyclist Julio César León, who in 2012 said in an interview for the BBC World who at that time did not have the resources to participate in the international competition.
“I didn’t have any money, I didn’t have any chances to go to the Olympics. I mightn’t find a way to go. The Venezuelan Federation didn’t want me to go anywhere because we would make a fool of ourselves,” she said.
León had a brother who was an aviator with contacts at the British Embassy in Venezuela and following meeting with the diplomatic authorities, he obtained his pass to the London Olympics.
Although León did not win any medals, his participation in the Olympics marked the beginning of Venezuela’s uninterrupted presence.
3. The first Venezuelan in the International Olympic Committee
Since the creation of the Olympic Games in 1896, at least three Venezuelans have been part of the International Olympic Committee (COI).
The first was Julio Bustamante, between 1952 and 1968. In 1968, José Beracasa joined between 1968 and 1981 and Flor Isava-Fonseca, who was between 1981 and 2002. Isava was one of the first two women to be elected to the IOC, along with the Finnish Pirjo Wilm.
4. Venezuela’s first medal
Venezuela’s first medal at the Olympics was bronze, won by athlete Asnoldo Devonish, with a record of 15.52 metres in the triple jump, in Helsinki 1952.
According to the IOC, Devonish had won the event at the 1951 Bolivarian Games. He also won another major international medal at the 1955 Pan American Games, finishing second behind Brazilian Adhemar da Silva.
5. Francisco “Morochito” Rodríguez gave Venezuela its first gold medal
In 1968, Francisco “Morochito” Rodríguez won a gold medal in boxing at the Olympic Games held in Mexico. Rodríguez’s victory was a cause for celebration as it was the first gold medal for the country. Several people were present at the airport to welcome him and celebrate.
“I still remember the reception at the airport. The pilot circled several times before landing, all because of the crowd that had invaded the runway,” he said in a statement reported by the International Olympic Committee.
6. Arlindo Gouveia won Venezuela’s first gold in taekwondo
After Morochito Rodríguez, Venezuela won gold once more with the athlete Arlindo Gouveia in the discipline of taekwondo at the Olympic Games in Barcelona (Spain) in 1992.
In that edition, this sport was only an exhibition. However, it would be included once more in the Olympics and other Venezuelans won more medals for the country, such as the bronze of Adriana Carmona in the 70 kg category in Athens 2004 and the bronze of Dalia Contreras in Beijing 2008.
7. Rubén Limardo gave Venezuela the gold in fencing
Venezuelan fencer Rubén Limardo has participated in a total of four editions of the Olympic Games, between 2008 and 2020. However, he stood out in the edition held in London in 2012 where he won a gold medal in the individual épée event.
“In men’s epee, there is no Venezuelan athlete who has won two Olympic Games. I am fighting because I would like to be among the record holders. That is what keeps me fighting,” she told the IOC at Tokyo 2020.
With the 2012 gold, Limardo also became the first Latin American to win a gold medal in fencing since 1904. In September 2020, he was inducted into the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Hall of Fame.
8. Yulimar Rojas broke the triple jump record at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
After her participation in Rio de Janeiro 2016, the triple jump queen Yulimar Rojas won a silver medal in that edition. Since then, Rojas worked hard to finally achieve her first gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
In addition to the gold, Rojas also became the holder of the Olympic Record and the Women’s World Record (15.67 m) in this discipline, as she surpassed by 17 centimeters the world record of 15.50 held by the Ukrainian Inessa Kravets since 1995.
For the Paris 2024 Olympics, Rojas will not be able to participate due to an injury to her left Achilles tendon. The Venezuelan champion had to undergo surgery in Spain in April 2024.
What is known regarding Venezuela’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics
Although Venezuela will not have Yulimar Rojas participating in the triple jump category, the Creole athlete will attend as one of the country’s flag bearers alongside weightlifter Julio Mayora for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Venezuelan Olympic Committee has confirmed the qualification of 29 Venezuelan athletes in 10 disciplines, including the following:
1) Patricia Ferrando – Horse riding (dressage)
2) Luis Fernando Larrazábal – Horse riding (jumping)
3) Raiber Rodriguez – Greco-Roman Wrestling (60 kg)
4) Betzabeth Arguello – Wrestling (53 kg)
5) Soleymi Caraballo – Freestyle wrestling (68 kg)
6) Anthony Montero – Wrestling (74 kg)
7) Gabriel Lugo – Fencing
8) Jesus Limardo – Fencing
9) Ruben Limardo – Fencing
10) Francisco Limardo – Fencing
11) Katherin Echandia – Halterofilia
12) Anyelin Venegas – Halterophilia
13) Naryury Pérez – Weightlifting
14) Julio Mayora – Weightlifting
15) Keydomar Vallenilla – Weightlifting
16) Alfonso Mestre – Swimming (400 and 800 meters freestyle)
17) Alberto Mestre – Swimming (50 meter freestyle)
18) María Yegres – Swimming (200 meters freestyle)
19) Katherine Paredes – Women’s Sabre
20) Joselyn Brea – Athletics
21) Yoveinny Type – Athletics
22) Douglas Gómez – Shooting (rapid pistol at 25 meters)
23) Leonel Martínez – Shooting (trap modality)
24) Omailyn Alcalá – Women’s Boxing (57 kg)
25) Jesus Cova – Men’s Boxing (63.5 kg)
26) Anriquelis Barrios – Judo
27) Ourlis Aular – Cycling
28) José Maita – Athletics
29) Yohandri Granado – Taekwondo
Also, in this year’s edition the Venezuelan Edilio Centeno Nieveswho practices shooting, will participate in the competition as part of the refugee team.
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2024-07-12 18:27:40